Bridge-gate



(No Model.) l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1-. 0., E. FOLL-jE-TT 8; G. SIMPSON.

BRIDGE GATE;

No. 502,664; Patented Aug. 1, 1893.-

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(No Model.)

I I. {Sheets- 8116 2. O. E. F OLLETT'& G; SIMPSON BRIDGE GATE.

PatentedAug. 1,1893.

' NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. FOLLETT AND GEORGE SIMPSON, OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN.

BRIDGE-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,664, dated August1, 1893.

Application filedMarch 15,1893. Serial No 466,105. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

and GEORGE SIMPSON, citizens of the United States, residing at the cityof Oshkosh, in the,

county of Winnebago and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Safety-Gates for Drawbridges; and we dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use'the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in guard-gates that open and closeautomatically as the draw is swung and the objects of our invention areto simplify the construction, lessen the cost and secure lightness anddurability.

The gate is constructed preferably of three or more sections similar toeach other.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side view of the gate open,Fig. 2 one section open, and Fig. 3 one section closed. Fig. 4 is a topplan view of the approach of the bridge to a draw, and Fig. dis a sideviewof the same, the bridge approach and the draw being in the sameposition as shown in Fig. 4.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A designates the approach of the bridge to the draw, Bthe supportingtimber to which the gate is attached and O G (l O the joists of thebridge. The gate is composed of sections,- preferably three, eachsection being composed of bars D D pivoted to the supporting posts E Eby the pivots e e e e. In the same manner the braces F F F in eachsection are pivoted. Each supporting postE is also pivoted to thesupporting frame of the bridge by the pivots f f and a counter-balance Gis hung to the lower end of each post E. The different sections are noton the same lateral plane but are constructed so as to close by eachother. By this construction the sections will not interfere with eachother in folding'and unfolding, and, when raised, the sections willcompletely close the approach of the bridge to the draw, whereas, if thesections were arranged in the same lateral plane, they would have to bespaced a considerable distance apart to permit said sections to belowered to a horizontal position, and, in doing this, when the sectionsare raised, a space would be left between said sections through which aperson might pass, thus rendering the gate unsafe.

The draw is provided on its under side, near its outer end, with aslightly curved, transversely arranged operating bar K which projectsfrom the side of the draw, preferably on both sides, as clearlyshown inFig. 4. These projecting ends are beveled underneath rearwardly, so thatwhen one of said endsstrikes the projection t' on a post E of the gatesection it will glide readily overthe same and cause the sections todescend, at the same time raising theweighted en'dG of the sections, thesectionor sections being held .down by the bar K until the draw isopened or moved out of engagement with the bridge approach, at whichtime the section or sections automatically rise and close the approachto the draw. The projections 2 ,6, on the middle sections are made ofsufficient length to bring their outer ends on a line with the ends ofthe projections ii of the other sections, as shown in Fig. 4. When thedraw is being closed the end of the draw strikes against the projectiont' on the post E and sliding over it pushes the gate down to theposition shown in Fig. 3 raising the weight or counter-balance G; the'bars' remain parallel and the postsv incline asthe gate folds together.Guides J J may be attached to the posts of the bridge through which thesections pass to afford additional stability at the top. When the drawis swung to .open, the weight G rises and opens each section of the gateau-. 'tomatically.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new,and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the draw of abridge, a folding gate consisting ofhorizontal bars pivotally connected to upright posts, which latter arepivoted to the bridge frame or abutment below the roadway, outwardlyextending projections on said gate, and the lower end of the gateweighted, whereby the gate is adapted to swing laterally and foldtogether extending projections on said sections, the lower ends of thesections being weighted; and a draw provided with a transverselyarranged operating bar which eXt-endslaterally from the side of the sameand is beveled on its outer end, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures 20 in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES E. FOLLETT. GEORGE SIMPSON. Witnesses:

CLARENCE TURGK, CHARLES J. SCHMITT.

